On February 15, 1957 the Army officially deactivated the last two operational mule units at Ft. Carson, Colorado. That did not mean, however, that the military would never again call upon the mule for service.
When the Soviet Union occupied Afghanistan in the 1980s, the CIA purchased thousands of mules for the Afghans, to help maintain supply lines.

Following WW II, the mule was transferred to the Chinese Army. He must have been later captured by the Communist Chinese, and then moved to the fight in Korea. After more than six years, that mule ended up back in the hands of the US Army - - then returned to work on a pack train.

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: When you meet each other then initiate greeting (salam) and embrace; and when you separate from each other, then depart with seeking forgiveness.

The mules were found to be thin and sick, but were quickly restored to health by candy, sugar, and cereal from the soldier’s rations. One of the captured mules was of particular interest, as it was found to have a US army Brand (a Preston Brand) number 08K0. When that brand was located in the Army records, it was found that he had been originally dispatched to the China-Burma-India theater during WW II.

The Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him and his progeny) said: He who unlawfully and usurpingly deprives a believer of wealth, Allah will continue to be displeased with him and does not accept his good actions that he fulfills; and none of them will be recorded among his good deeds until he repents and returns the wealth which he had taken to its owner.

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: He who hurts a Muslim believer, surely he has hurt me.

Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) said: In no way is Allah worshipped better than by fulfilling the right of a believer.

In the spring of 1951, communist forces used pack mules to carry supplies for attacks on UN forces north of Seoul. When they were forced back, the communists abandoned their mules, and the US 1st Cavalry Division captured many of the animals.

In Asia, the Chinese Army used more than 20,000 mules in their battles against the Japanese.
The terrain encountered in the war in Korea during that war, resembled that of the mountains of Italy during WW II, therefore the Army employed mules for use where trucks and jeeps could not reach. Since the Chinese and North Koreans used mules for transportation, it was only a matter of time before the allied forces began to capture many animals.

Mules were used with great effectiveness by Merrill’s Marauders in the jungles of Burma. Once, following a 300-mile forced march, Merrill’s troops were confronted by an overwhelming enemy force. The mules made such a commotion that the enemy thought they must be outnumbered and withdrew.

By the start of World War II the U.S. Army had become more mechanized, horses had lost their ranking as a mode of transportation, but the mule continued to be of great value - - because of the superior ability to negotiate areas inaccessible to tanks and other vehicles, such as the mountains of Italy and the jungles of Burma. Mobilization actually began in 1930, with an authorization for 3,500 mules. By 1944 and 1945, some 14,000 mules were used by the 10th Mountain Division in northern Italy.

Imam Ali (PBUH) said: Surely, it is the common people of the community who are the pillars of the religion, the power of the Muslims and the defense against the enemies. Your leaning should therefore be towards them and your inclination with them.